primitive bows: Self or Sinew-backed

[firemaker]

So everyone, what do you prefer, self bows or sinew backed??

 

[Snufkin]

I've no real preference, I do like simple straight stave self bows but I'm also intrigued by those short sinewed plains and west coast bows.

 

[jdlenton]

never shot either i like the idea of the self bow but I'm intrigued by backed bows whatever the backing cherry bark, sniew, snake or fish skin and any other backing that anyone wants to say works.

 

[firemaker]

I prefer sinew backed although I have made self bows. I like the fact I can get extra draw and power if I need to without the bow breaking.

Darrel

 

[C_Claycomb]

Getting sinew in the UK requires more leg work than it does in the US...there are no nice archery supply places to buy it from, and hunting is very different.

In Britain also, there is much less of a connection to horse archery, either native American, or Eurasian, hence no cultural connection to sinew backed bows. Most archers in this country who develope a desire to shoot a wooden bow go with some variant of the D-section longbow, and a distressing number go with bows laminated from various tropical hardwoods.

I have only ever seen one sinewed bow and unless you shoot a short bow it seemed like a lot of trouble. I guess that if I got my hands on some osage, or juniper, and enough sinew, I would like to try making one, but if all I have is ash, and lumber yard timber, I will stick with plant fibre backing, or no backing at all.

 

[bent-stick]

You need to be very careful with the wood choice for sinew backing. It needs to be really tough. Sinew could overpower a yew or ash belly causing compression fractures. Osage is a tough as old boots and can take it. You'll pay up to 200GBP for a bit of osage over here. I've got a couple of billets that cost 100.GBP

I'm working on a horn/wood/sinew magyar bow. I got back to it on Saturday working the bellies down. It's a long term project though and I don't expect to be shooting it in the next 12 months.

I've used rawhide and even brown paper (5 layers put on with waterproof PVA). They will all stop lifts in the back and hold the bow together in extreme bending but I don't think they add much to the draw weight and power.

If you need sinew in the UK Higland horn usually has a good stock of deer leg sinew but I can't source backstrap for love nor money.

 

[Snufkin]

Getting sinew in the UK requires more leg work than it does in the US...there are no nice archery supply places to buy it from, and hunting is very different

Try these folks for sinew in the UK.

 

[bent-stick]

and I don't mind betting Richard gets his from

Highland Horn

Don't do what I did and order 1 dozen sinews and end up with a dozen sets...that's an awful lot of sinew...

And put it where the dogs/cats/other animals can't find it...they love it.

 

[firemaker]

Do ya all know if its legal to ship sinew to the UK from the US? Cause if all goes in our favor this year we should have a freezer full of deer legs and a long cold winter to dig out the tendons. And Im a guy who likes trading.

Darrel

 

[Snufkin]

Do ya all know if its legal to ship sinew to the UK from the US? Cause if all goes in our favor this year we should have a freezer full of deer legs and a long cold winter to dig out the tendons. And Im a guy who likes trading.

Darrel

I've had elk sinew posted over with no problems, just write on the customs declaration "bow building supplies" and you shouldn't have a problem.